Parish council have "lost" minute book

[beardsince1978]

Hi all,

I think this is the most appropriate forum, excuse me if I have the wrong place.

Who do I complain to about a parish council having "lost" a old minute book? I should add that I have doubts it is lost. I have already found out that the parish clerk lied to me, claiming she had looked through the minutes for me and there wasn't anything in them. In fact there were 5 references to one of the 2 addresses I said I was interested in and in 4 of those cases the address was the section heading. Missing one could be an error, maybe, but missing 5? The same clerk has also had a convenient PC crash wiping out data when I did an FOI request so you can understand my doubt.

I know that s228 of Local Government Act 1972 gives me the right to inspect the minutes and make copies, and that it makes it a criminal offence to interfere with that right, however I have doubts that the police would do anything since they refuse to investigate a fraud I have also discovered. I made the request to view the minutes under s288 and FOI act so I'm thinking that a call to ICO might be one option. Do I have any others?

Thanks

[echat11]

Have you made a formal complaint to the council in writing?

[beardsince1978]

Have you made a formal complaint to the council in writing?

The parish council or the unitary council? I know that the (unitary) monitoring officer deals with complaints about parish councillors but who is responsible for the parish clerk? I also know that LGO cannot deal with parish councils. And from repeated experience, that the MO will do nothing about parish council misbehaviour (like slander + libel on 2 occasions and perjury).

I don't mean to sound negative. I should probably look at this as ensuring that I dot all the i's. What do you suggest?

[islandgirl]

If it is a Parish Council then you can complain to the next level up (usually a borough council). They will have a standards committee. Get in touch with them and explain the issues. You will have to make a formal complaint to them and it will be investigated.